Sponge cup



March 4 1924. v Re. 15,786

H. L. M GINTY SPONGE CUP Original Filed Aug. 20. 1920 Reiaued Mar. 4,1924.

UNITED .STATES Re. 15,786 PATENT OFFICE.

HUGE MOGINTY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO SENGBUSCH SELF-CLOSING- INKSTAND COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WIS-CONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN. v p Y SPONGE our.

Original No. 1,405,142, dated January 81, 1922, Serial No. 404,842,filed August 20, 1920. Application for reissue filed January 14,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmproiementsin Spon e Cups, of which the following-1s a speci cation.

This invention relates to sponge-cups and more particularly tosponge-cups used in offices and banks for the purpose of facilitatingthe handling or counting of paper sheets or paper money.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a sponge-cup inwhich the over-flowing of the water out of the cups, as often occurs incups as used at the present, is eliminated. Another object is to providesuch an improved cup of very compact and reduced dimensions in relationto the size of the sponge used. A further object is to provide a cup ofcheap manufacture in which all parts are so shaped and proportioned asto enable the cup to be formed in a mold of simple construction. Furtherobjects or advantages will a pear from the following description and romthe drawings which form part of this application for Letters Patent.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Fi 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2 Fig. 1.

Fi 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line Fig. 1, showing a sponge asapplied.

The device which may be made of glass, porcelain, or any other moldableand water proof material, is referably made circular and consists ofa boy 1 having a circular deression or cup 2 of suitable size and depth;ilie wall 3 formed by this depression has its to so shaped as to formtwo concentric edges or rims 4 and 5, separated b the eve 6. The bottomof the latter is not ma but is formed so as to present two high pointsand two low oints so disposed that the high and low points will berespectively diametrically opposite each other. In the inner edge 5, andat points corresponding to 1924. Serial no. 686,221.

the lowest levels of groove 6 the cuts or slots 7 with sloping bottom 8are provided for the purpose of draining the water in the groove backinto the cup 2, wherein the sponge 9 is located.

When it is desired to use the device, the sponge is saturated with wateruntil the latter reaches approximately the bottom of the drain slots 7.As will be experienced, the pressure exerted by the fingers to bemoistened, will compress the sponge suificiently to force a certainamount of the water retained in the upper part of the sponge to ooze outand over-flow outside of the first ledge. In the ordinary sponge-cups,as now generally used, this naturally results in the water spilling overtheborder and creating unsightly pools upon the desk, or perhaps evendamaging important documents which might happen to be in the vicinity ofthe sponge-cup. Incidentally, these all too frequent occurrences areoften the cause of much valuable time and oflice material being wastedin cleaning and repairing the damage done by them. In my invention thisdanger due tothe overflow of Water is done away with by the use of theouter edge which, for greater precaution, is made some what higher thanthe inner edge. The expression of water from the sponge by the fingersis of course not prevented 1n my device but this effect will be renderedharmless by the water being drained by the inclined groove and returnedinto thefcenter cup.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the walls, edges andcuts are so tapered as to allow the cuss being formed and drawn out ofthe mold irectly, without requiring the setting and removal of loosepieces or collapsible mandrels. This labor saving feature of myinvention is of great importance especially when concerning articleswhich are to be produced in great quantities. Furthermore, the width ofthe draining groove may be made relatively small without imairing itscapacity for conducting the overowing water, thereby obtaining a verycomact evice requiring but little space on a esk or counter.

From the fore oing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will be apparent that I provide a sponge cup possessingvaluable and practical advan tages over..,the-kinds-nsedat present,andof verytcheapandasimple mann tture. Aswlll be easily understood theremay be made slight changes in the design of the cup, such as 1 makingit' polygonal instead of circular, andI do notwish to limit'myself tothe-"form described above except as set forth in the claims hereuntoappended.

I claim as my invention:

an article of ,malmiacture, a flat bottomed sponge cup havingitwoconcentric rims at the top of its side and a drainage groove: ofvariable depth therebetween.

As an; article of manufacture, a sponge cup having 1 two concentric:rims at wthe top of ,itssideand a drainage ;groove therebetweenpossessing a plurality of high and low level .points; the level pointsof e'qual depth being-diametrically apposite.

#3. As aneartiele of. mauufacture,asponge cup having two concentric;rims at the; tOPzOf its side the inner. rim being of lesser heightthan-the outeririm; a drainagegroove therebetween possessing a pluralityof high .and low level points, the level points of :equal depth Ebeingdiametrically opposite, and apertures rovided in the innen at pointscorresponding to; the low; levelg points ofsaid groove, substantially asdescribed.

4. As an, article of mannfacture, a sponge cup having a bottom :with asubstantially perpendicular wall extending upwardly therefrom around theedge, the upper portionof said wallibein-g divided to formaanannularichannel at asubstantial elevation above the vbottom oflthevsponge cnp, and said channelbein-g openiat the top: andprovidedwith drainage -means;-at the bottom communicating with the interiorofrtheeup.

5. article of manufacture-a sponge cup having .a' substantially flatbottom with a substantially .erpendicular wall extend-- ing upwardly trefromiaroundrthe edge, saidwall being divided ,at theztop to formanannular channel at an elevation above the bottom greater (than 2 theJiepth. vof! the-th nneban'd saidthannelihmk lagdnaimage-means cupcomprising a bottom with a wall extending upwardly therefrom around theedge, said well *being formed at the upper edge "with integral inner andouter annular extensions spaced apart to an "annular channeltherebetween and having the inner surface of the former and the outersurface of Ythfi latter vsubstantially flush with the inner andouterrsurfaces respectively of the wall, and drainage means leading fromthe bottom of the channelintovthe interior of thevcup.

;7. :As. an'garticle; of manufacture, a sponge cup having; a bottomwithwa wall extending 6 upwardlytherefrom around the edge, I saidwallbeing; provided at the top with integral spaced annular extensionsforming achannel therebetween of less width =than the thickness oftheiwall and said channel having drainage 11163111525313 the bottomleading into theinteriorof. the soup. 7

8. Asian article of manufacture, a sponge cup of a unitary molded massofmate-rlal comprising 1 a bottom with -,a substantially 7 perpendicularWall .e-xtending upwardly therefrom around the edge,- said wallgraduallydecreasing in thickness-from. the bottom tothe top and having,a'cliannel in theupper edge gradually increasing in-widthffrom the 8bottom toithe top and 5 provided with, drainageioutletsj atthe bottomleading into the interior of thecup.

"9.. As an; article of manufacture, a sponge cup of a" unitary molded:mass of material 8 comprising a bottom .withiia substantiallyperpendicular wall exteno'ling upwardly therefrom around i the :edge,and said wall having an annular: channel at the top "with drainageopenings leadin -into.theg'interior of the cup, the inner an surface ofsaid wall abeing .npwardly eonvergent, :and the. surfaces at oppositesides of the channel and drainage openings being upwardly divergent.

- HUGH L. MoGI NTY

